EDNA PEMBERTON

Stories by EDNA

Today as I walked around the Southwest Center Mall, my heart was saddened because in 2005-2009, we could have purchased the only regional shopping center for $4 million. I went to some business persons to purchase it and they laughed in my face and told me that the mall will fail and be nothing. Now, as I walk the mall and see the traffic flow and see us as consumers in our own community. Now our owners are good, but what a missed opportunity by the Black community to own and operate in a professional manner a mall like we are doing now. You, as Blacks, are running it. In 2009, it was 45 percent occupied, now it’s 81 percent and you did it! We are meeting and strategy planning our own Camp Wisdom Corridor future. We don’t always agree, but when we take the vote, it’s over and we plan our work … and work our plan!